The Winner
by Sakura the Cookie Monster
Summary: [Battle Royale 2] Boy 15 Shintaro Makimura's POV. His thoughts on winning and losing as he watches the scene unfolding before him.


TITLE: The Winner  
AUTHOR: Sakura the Cookie Monster  
RATING: PG  
DISCLAIMER: The standard disclaimers apply.  
WARNING: Spoilers for those that haven't seen Battle Royale II. You have been warned.  
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_See that white line on the floor? There are only two sides in life, the winners and the losers. Anyone who crosses that line has the guts to be a winner. Players to the right, the unfortunate losers to the left. That is the line that divides the good from the evil._  
  
Those words have been playing in my mind since Takeuchi started calling names off the list. I couldn't help but watch them all cross in frustration. Why do they cross the line? I've decided at this point that all adults are crazy to send a bunch of kids to fight against terrorists. Then again, if they're crazy enough to have students kill each other; they're crazy enough to come up with this bullshit.  
  
"Boy number fourteen, Maezono Kenji-kun."  
  
Takeuchi-sensei's voice droned on as I bent down to pick up the loser ball and see the words that I've written earlier. It seemed so insignificant then. It was only out of humor that we signed it. Looking back on it now, it was the last time I saw anyone smile before we ended up in this cage.  
  
We were on our way to a ski lodge for our Christmas trip. I probably would've been the first to start a snowball war. Takuma would become frustrated and throw a temper tantrum if he lost. Shugo would've had fun playing. Shiori... Well, I wouldn't know what to think about her, since she recently transferred here. Especially since she crossed the line first. Nao and Asuka would've fought back and started a male vs. female war. Haruya would've probably joined the girls, just to give them an advantage and to even up the numbers.  
  
But now, there was nothing to laugh about. One by one, each of my classmates crossed the line, afraid to die, yet knowing that they were on their way to death as we speak. They hated it, but still went on with it.  
  
The adults were afraid of us. We were losers to the eyes of the public. Nobody cared about us anymore. Do my parents care? I wouldn't know. I'm trapped in a cage and I can't call to ask whether they do or not. Guns are aimed at all of us. I'm scared. No wait, I take that back. I'm terrified. We're all terrified. Takuma, Masami, Shugo... They've all crossed the white line on the floor, afraid to die. Soon Wataru and Asuka will cross as well. I wouldn't. This is crazy.  
  
"Girl number fourteen, Hata Ryoko-san."  
  
I clutch onto the ball tightly, knowing that I would be called soon. Wataru and Asuka are behind me, wondering what I was going to do. God, give me the courage to do this. I've always been a pacifist and I will not fight a war for anyone.  
  
"Boy number fifteen, Makimura Shintaro-kun. Girl number fifteen, Fukuda Kazumi-san."  
  
I looked up at Takeuchi-sensei, knowing what I was going to do. His words rang clear in my head. The adults didn't need losers, so they die. If I crossed, I would lose what I believed in most. If I didn't, I'd lose my life. I chose the easiest to give up.  
  
"I absolutely refuse," I whisper softly.  
  
"Huh?", Riki-sensei asks, looking at me in annoyance.  
  
"I refuse to participate," I said louder, my voice wavering the whole time.   
  
"Shintaro..," I hear Takuma say, but I had made up my mind.  
  
"Loser," Ryo Kurosawa, leader of the Shubultz Cuts, mutters with disgust on his face. I know why he's disgusted with me. He lost his parents and sister in the terrorist attacks last year. We were being sent to kill the very terrorist responsible for those very deaths.  
  
_We don't need losers, so they die._  
  
I stood there as I remembered those words. I remember something that my father told me. It was that the score doesn't define winners. Winners are defined by the choices that they make to get to that high score. I remembered those words, for they the last that he told me before he walked out on me and my mom on my first day in the seventh grade at Shikanotoride Jr. High School.  
  
Walking towards the other side was Kazumi Fukuda, leader of the delinquent girls. She looks at me timidly and said, "Sorry, but I'm going ahead."  
  
"Go right ahead," I only answer as I saw her cross the line. A soldier tosses her a pack and helmet with the number fifteen on it. I look at all of these people, finally losing my nerve as I walk towards them, but not crossing the line as I shout, "What the hell are you guys doing? Don't you see that this is crazy! Why the hell should we have to fight?"  
  
They were all looking at me as though I've snapped, which was true. I have snapped. I keep thinking that this is an awful dream. It's just a dream, I tell myself.  
  
"You sure, Shintaro? Here goes."  
  
This is it. I'm going to die. I close my eyes, but not before watching Takeuchi-sensei and a soldier walk along the line towards me. I clutch the ball, thinking that this was the end of this life here.  
  
"Three, two, one. Okay then."  
  
**BANG!**  
  
Fuck! My knee! The bastard missed intentionally. I curse my luck as I collapse to the ground, hearing the others scream in fright. I use my right hand to stop the bleeding on my knee. I open my eyes and see Takuma being held back by the others.  
  
"Are you nuts? Hurry, come on over."  
  
I shake my head, still standing with my decision.  
  
"Hurry up!"  
  
"I absolutely refuse," I answer back and watch the look on Takuma's face change. He realized that he wasn't going to change my mind at all. He was scared for me. He didn't have to be scared. I was already scared enough for everyone else in this class.  
  
Takeuchi-sensei bends down and looks at me menacingly as he murmurs, "Think it over, Shintaro. You've spent your whole life as a loser. This is your last chance." and walks away from me, facing the exit from where we were pushed into this cage.  
  
As he turned away, I shouted back, "I haven't lost yet!"  
  
"Here goes. Three."  
  
The soldier starts to walk in front me, aiming his gun at the others.  
  
"Two."  
  
Looking at the others that were the "winners", I slowly crawled up to my knees and started trembling. This time, I would die and there was nothing that I was going to do to stop it. I wouldn't play this game. I look at my fellow rugby players that have crossed before I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath.  
  
"One!"  
  
Goodbye.  
  
~FIN~  
  
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_AUTHOR'S NOTES_: This fic has been eating away at my mind for some time now, so as an early birthday gift for myself, I wrote it. As for what inspired me to write it? Blame Masaya Kikawada for his performance in the role. It blew me away and made me wonder one thing: What in the hell is he doing playing an eccentric, turtle-loving Motoki Furuhata if he can pull off a role like Shintaro Makimura? It's just the one thing that puzzles me about the casting in PGSM. But, I'm not complaining about it.  
  
Reviews are appreciated. Thank you and good day. ^_^  



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